Dinner Date and Baby number Two
by kuvira
Summary: Katara and Toph arrange a date to catch up. Katara discovers that Toph is expecting her second baby, and attempts to convince her stubborn friend to go on maternity leave.


Katara opened the wooden doors and entered the restaurant. She scoped around for her date.

"Oh, hello, excuse me." She cleared her throat. "I'm meeting my friend here. She's about this tall…" She held her hand up to her cheekbone. "Visibly blind, large black bun…"

"Do you mean the police officer?"

"Oh, yes!" Katara perked up. "That would be her."

The waiter smiled. "Right this way, ma'am."

"_Ma'am!?" _Katara thought to herself. "_I'm not THAT old yet…"_ She was slightly offended until she saw her friend.

"Toph!" She ran over.

"Katara!" Toph rose from her seat a little too fast and nearly toppled over. "Wooah…" She caught herself.

"Toph, careful!" Katara grabbed her arm and then gasped and pointed to the Chief's distended belly. "Y-you..you're…you never told me- how? When- why didn't you tell me?"

Toph smiled. "I was just as surprised as you are."

Katara helped her back into her chair and sat across from her. "This is so exciting! Lin will have a little sibling! Oh...she's gonna love her baby so much! Bumi and Kya were so excited for Tenzin..it was adorable." She intertwined her fingers at her chest and smiled.

Toph nodded with a pleasant grin. "I don't think it really hit her yet, though. She doesn't understand."

"Ha. She'll understand _real_ well once she's kept up every night from that baby crying!" She laughed.

Toph smiled and nodded, then took a sip of her water.

"How far along are you? Or did you not plan it? I'm sorry if this is too personal, I'm just curious."

"There's no way I planned it. I have no idea how far along I am. I just thought I was gaining weight. Same thing that happened with Lin." She shrugged.

"You look pretty far along."

"I feel like it too. Everything hurts this time around. I can't work as well as I could with Lin."

"Well that was six years ago, Toph." She laughed. "Our bodies aren't the same as they were when we were young." She teased.

"Ugh, don't even tell me that." Toph winced. "I'm worried about how I'll be able to handle two kids. My job is so demanding, I don't want to neglect them."

"I'll always be here to help out." Katara smiled reassuringly and held Toph's right hand in between her's.

Toph smiled. "That means a lot to me, Katara. Thank you."

"So...did you get a new uniform to fit your belly?"

Toph shook her head. "Nah, I just bent my old one. They're too expensive to buy a new one every month. Pregnancy is temporary."

"So, when are you taking your break?"

"My what?"

"Your break."

"I don't need a break."

"Yes you do."

"No, I don't." Toph dismissed the discussion.

"Toph. You do. There is a life inside of you and you can't be stressed while you're pregnant! It'll harm the baby!" Katara warned.

"Not _my_ baby. Mine are strong. Resilient like their mother." Toph smiled proudly and pounded on her chest.

Katara rolled her eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me!"

"How'd you know!?"

"I've known you most of my life, Katara. I know how you are when you don't get your way..."

"I'm going to go to the station and tell the other officers not to let you into work."

"You can't do that, Katara. I'm the boss."

"I'm not gonna let you hurt yourself, Toph. I've been through this three times! It only gets harder with each one."

This time Toph rolled her eyes. "How long do you think I'd be out for-hypothetically."

Katara peeked around the table at Toph's stomach.

"I'd say you're almost done. I mean I'd have to see you without the suit on to get an accurate idea- but you're too far along to still be running around all day and fighting bad guys." Katara gave Toph the side-eye.

"The city needs me." Toph said under her breath.

Katara leaned her elbows onto the table and lowered her head. "Your baby needs you." She took a sip of water.

Toph sat up and pondered what Katara was saying. "Think I would be able to handle desk-work until I pushed it out?"

"Until you wha-?" Katara planted her face into her palm then looked at Toph. "Until you give birth. Until you give birth to your precious child."

"Yeah."

"I'd say that you could do that. But you shouldn't be there all day. Go for maybe three hours in the late morning, then relax at home. Take a walk and pick Lin up from school, then go home. You want as little stress as possible."

"I'll get the jitters."

"I'll spend time with you during the day."

A bead of sweat dripped from Toph's forehead. "Um, actually! That's okay, Katara. I'll just take the rest of the month off and relax...It'll be good for me."

Katara smiled. "You promise?"

Toph nodded.

"Just remember, this isn't for me. I'm telling you for your baby."

Toph nodded. "I know. I need to be responsible. I'll take the month off. No big deal."

"I'm sure Lin will be happy to spend more time with her Mama."

A natural smile spread across Toph's face. "Yeah. I'll be happy to spend more time with her too. She's really special."

"I know she is." Katara smiled.

"So...um." The waiter's voice shook. "Are you two ladies ready to order?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot you were there!" Katara apologized, while looking over her menu.

"It's okay, most women do."

"Toph, what will you be having?"

Toph picked up her menu and smiled. She then lifted her head towards Katara and waved her open palm across her eyes.

"Oh, Toph! I'm sorry." She read the menu aloud.

"I'll have the pork buns and rice." Toph announced.

"And I'll have your Jasmine Tea, Vegetable Tofu assortment, and rice."

The waiter took back the menus and bowed his head, returning to the kitchen.

Toph cracked up into a fit of laughter. She imitated his voice. "It's okay, most women do."

Katara cackled.

"I've missed you so much, Toph! You're such a gift." She continued laughing as a single tear slid down her cheek.

Toph laughed as well. "I've missed you too. But I sure haven't missed all the crying."


End file.
